When utilizing a heated apparatus such as an ordinary outdoor, gas-fired barbecue device to cook foods, it is common to allow the barbecue to become heated for a warm-up period prior to using it so that charcoal or similar heat elements in the barbecue distribute heat evenly. Additionally, because barbecues are often used to cook more food than the barbecue can hold at one time, operators do not develop a habit of turning off their burners and gas supply after each use, in order to allow the barbecue to remain warm and ready for a second round of cooking. Moreover, after use of the barbecue, it is often heated to a higher temperature than a cooking temperature, in order to assist in cleaning internal cooking grills and related components.
Because barbecues are frequently stored and used in areas remote from food preparation and/or eating areas, a hazard of barbecue use is that an operator may forget that the barbecue is being warmed up; left on for additional cooking; or, left in a high-temperature, grill cleaning setting. Not only does such a hazard result in an uneconomical loss of the value of wasted gas, it also poses a substantial safety risk, due to the exposure of a high-temperature, unattended barbecue to children, pets, and flammable materials.
Known alarm systems that could minimize the risk of such hazards involve mechanical spring-based timers, that deteriorate as a result of weather exposure, and require the barbecue operator to re-set the alarm with each use of the barbecue, a task that would be overlooked by most operators. Consequently, an alarm system that signals barbecue operators that the barbecue has been heated and untouched for an excessive period of time has not gained wide-spread acceptance.
Accordingly it is the general object of the present invention to provide an automatic temperature alarm system that overcomes the durability and use requirement problems of the prior art.
It is a more specific object to provide an automatic temperature alarm system for use with heated apparatus such as an outdoor barbecue that automatically alerts the operator of the apparatus that the apparatus has been heated and untouched for an excessive period of time.
It is another specific object to provide an automatic temperature alarm system that can be stored outdoors for extended periods without deterioration due to weather stresses.
It is yet another object to provide an automatic temperature alarm system that utilizes a minimal amount of energy when the system is not being used.
The above and other advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.